Buying a House? Get the Roof Looked At
A general home inspection will tell you the roof exists, its apparent type, and that it appeared serviceable from where the inspector stood. On the most expensive component of the house, that is not much.
What we tell you that a home inspection will not
- Approximate age and remaining service life, with the reasoning
- How many layers are on the roof, which changes the cost of the eventual replacement substantially
- The condition of every detail: pipe boots, chimney flashing, skylights, valleys
- Whether there is evidence of past leaks and past repairs, and whether those repairs were done properly
- Visible sheathing condition, and rot indications at the eaves and fascia
- Attic ventilation, which is why many Sacramento roofs fail early
- A current cost to replace, so you can price it into your offer rather than guess
Use it inside the inspection period
A written scope with photographs and a number is something you can take to a seller. "The home inspector said the roof looks old" is not.
Order it early in the period, not on the last day — if the roof turns out to need work, you want time to get a number rather than having to decide blind.
What to watch for in the disclosures
- Any prior roof repair, particularly repeated repairs in the same area
- Roof work performed without a permit, which is a record problem as well as a quality one
- Insurance claims involving the roof
- A certification issued by a contractor you cannot verify at cslb.ca.gov
- Solar on the roof, which means an eventual remove-and-reinstall cost on top of the roof itself
Seller-supplied certifications
A certification in the seller's file is useful information and it was ordered by the other side. Check the date, the stated term, the licence number and what the document actually says — many state far less than people assume.
If you want an independent opinion, that is a reasonable thing to buy on a purchase of this size.
Common questions
Is a roof inspection worth it when buying a house?
On the most expensive component of the house, and one a general inspector covers in a paragraph, yes. It is a small cost against a replacement figure, and it gives you a documented number to negotiate with.
Can I trust the seller's roof certification?
Verify the licence at cslb.ca.gov, check the date and the stated remaining-life term, and read what the document actually says rather than what it is assumed to say. It was ordered by the other side, which is worth remembering.